RichH

Rules about parking across dropped kerbs/driveways generally seem to be pretty unclear and are the subject of much Internet hearsay. Some people say it's not an offence at all (even if the driveway is in use) whilst others say it's only an offence if you prevent someone accessing the public highway (i.e. driving out of their property onto the road, but not the other way around.) Whatever the circumstances here, the PCN (Penalty Charge Notice) should provide details of how to appeal, assuming it's one issued by or on behalf of the council and not by some dubious private parking enforcement firm. If it's the former the appeal process should be free so I suggest you go ahead by providing the basic facts as you've described them above. My hunch is that you will be successful as it doesn't appear from your description that you were actually causing an obstruction or contravening any rules. Anyway, it doesn't hurt to try! Don't leave it too long to appeal though so you don't risk incurring the full charge rather than the discounted rate. Several people on my road park over their own driveways, often because modern cars are a little too big to fit easily (if at all) and, to my knowledge, none of them has ever received a ticket.

I used to live on Homestall Road and was told that it was an original road/track that led to Homestall Farm that was located on what is now Peckham Rye Park until the late 19th Century. Why it was never paved I'm not sure but I guess it might have something to do with Beechcroft Reservoir (or the Aquarius Golf Club as it's now better known) which was constructed at around about the same time that the farm was purchased by the Council. The houses are all circa 1930's and built at the same time as those on the Eastern stretches of Colyton, Mundania, Therapia, Marmora and Scutari Roads. They're fairly typical for the period. They're not as old fashioned as some of the bigger Victorian properties in the area ;)